Christina Obergfoll and Raul Spank prevail against difficult conditions in
Kassel – Athletics news
Christina Obergfoll and Raul Spank fought the drenched and challenging weather conditions to prevail in the Javelin Throw and High Jump categories, respectively, at the German Championships in Kassel.
Spank, the 23-year-old athlete, for dominating his field, produced a 2.31m jump while Obergfoll, whose victory was the most cherished event of the day, observed a throw of 68.86m. The tremendous result produced by the 29-year-old veteran proved to be a championships
record.
With the performance observed by the German duo on Sunday, it is evident that they are going to give a tough time to their rivals at the upcoming IAAF World Championships in Athletics, to commence in Daegu.
Obergfoll, the Baden- Württemberg born athlete was the second finisher at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics. The second finish on the podium about six years ago had established her European record of 70.03m. The event also observed a world record
marked by Cuban athlete, Osleidys Menendez. Obergfoll, who had gained a favourite status due to her initial performance in her discipline, somehow, fell to a fourth position at the 2006 European Athletics Championships held in Gothenburg.
However, striking back next year, she not only improved her Personal Best by a throw of 70.20m, but also improved her European record while appearing at the European Cup Super League contest organised in Munich. The following year, though she managed to
bag a bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics, she eventually lost her European record. Last year, while performing at the DKB-duels for throwing 68.63m, she appeared to be the third best athlete of the discipline.
Spank, the young athlete from Dresden, also first gained prominence in 2005, where, while becoming a part of the World Youth Championships in Athletics, despite marking his Personal Best of 2.11m, he ended for a seventh position. Since then, he has been
known to improve his PB in every other event he appears in, though it had not been that helpful for him in bagging big titles.
In the national championships at home, a bit troubled by the unfavourable weather, he could not help escape a minor scare, but fortunately, it did not affect his game. For clearing up his opening height of 2.15m, he took three chances and crossed the bar
in the final attempt. He crossed heights like 2.22m, 2,25m and 2.28m and to mark his final dominance over the field after making three attempts, he cleared the bar as high as 2.33m.
In women’s Javelin competition, contrary to the jumpers, the weather actually helped the athletes to display some of the best results of the event. Obergfoll, who had opened up her contest with a moderate throw of 64.32m, landed at 68.86m in the second round.
The emphatic result not only played a significant role in bagging her title, but also brought her the privilege to boast of holding the championships record.
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